WhatsApp adds new invite system to let you decide if you want to join a group or not

WhatsApp has today announced that it is adding a new privacy setting and invite system which will help you decide who can add you to WhatsApp groups.

A WhatsApp representative displays key chains with the logo of WhatsApp. Image: Reuters

To enable this feature you need to head to Settings > Account > Privacy > Groups. There you will be greeted by three options which are “Nobody,” “My Contacts,” or “Everyone.”

Selecting the “Nobody” option will mean that you’ll have to approve the request for joining every group to which you’re invited. Selecting “My Contacts” would mean that you can be added to groups by people present in your contact list. “Everyone”, which is self-explanatory, will allow you to be added to anyone’s group even if they are not in your contact list.

In the cases of “Nobody” and “My Contacts”, the person who is inviting you to a group will be prompted to send a private invite through an individual chat, which offers you a choice to join the group. The invite will have an expiry timer of three days and you will have to respond within that timeframe.

These new privacy settings will begin rolling out to some users starting today and will be available worldwide in the coming weeks to those using the latest version of WhatsApp.

In more recent news, WhatsApp on 2 April unveiled its ‘Checkpoint Tipline‘, where people can check the authenticity of information received as the messaging giant looks to crack down on fake news ahead of the general election in the country.

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